Two plead guilty in sex crimes

Two men charged in similar, but unrelated, sex crimes pleaded guilty in a Washington County courtroom Wednesday.

Douglas Scott Craig, 50, of Gray, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted rape of a child and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He is eligible for probation and a hearing on that issue is scheduled for Jan. 28.

According to court records, Craig was accused of putting his hand down the pants of an 11-year-old girl who was in his care after school. Assistant District Attorney General Erin McArdle said Craig was friends with the girl’s family and was trusted to pick her up from school.

The two incidents happened in October 2011, one in Craig’s car and the second in his house. Initially he was charged with and indicted on two counts of aggravated sexual battery.

Craig remains jailed on the charges.

In the other case, Roger Glen Ball, 42, of Greeneville, pleaded guilty to solicitation of a minor in a case that involved a 15-year-old Washington County girl who was friends with his daughter. Ball was also her basketball coach and a teacher in her home school co-op.

According to court records, Ball sent text messages to the teen indicating he wanted to have sex with her. In a preliminary hearing in Sessions Court, the teenager testified she interpreted the messages as Ball propositioning her for sex.

In the plea agreement, Ball will receive a two-year prison sentence, but he is asking for judicial diversion. There will be a hearing on that issue Jan. 7.

At the time of the allegations in November, Ball was pastor at a church in Greeneville. He is free on $20,000 bond.